BrainsFirst NeurOlympics test in your job application
By the TestPrep editorial team · Updated
NeurOlympics in your application, in short
Some employers ask candidates to play BrainsFirst NeurOlympics as part of their application. It is a game-based assessment of four games: Collect, Activate, Connect and Synchronize. According to BrainsFirst, together they measure working memory, anticipation, control and attention.
This guide covers where the games fit in an application, what each one asks of you and how to prepare. Our practice games are not affiliated with BrainsFirst.
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Where it fits in the application
- You apply for the role.
- The employer invites you to play the games. Read the invitation carefully: it tells you how to start and by when.
- You play the games somewhere quiet, where you will not be disturbed.
- The employer decides how the results count, together with the rest of your application.
Every employer sets up its own process, so the order and the other steps can differ. Your invitation is leading.
What each game measures
- Collect: working memory, such as grouping and updating information.
- Activate: anticipation and spatial awareness, under time pressure.
- Connect: control, meaning reaction time, inhibition and mental flexibility.
- Synchronize: attention, including attention span and switching your focus.
Source: BrainsFirst's own description of the four games.
What the games ask of you
Collect
You remember a pattern, such as circles that light up briefly, and click it back. In our practice game Circle Memory you do exactly this.
Activate
You react to targets that move across the screen and act before they are gone. Looking ahead works better than chasing.
Connect
You compare what you see and press the matching key as fast as you can. Only correct answers score.
Synchronize
You respond to one element and ignore the distractions around it. Keep your eyes on the centre.
Before you start the real games
- Practise each game type once, so the real session is not the first time you see it.
- Choose a moment when you are rested and will not be disturbed.
- Read each game's instructions before you start; they are short but specific.
- Aim for accuracy first. Speed follows once you know what to do.